New American Funding Blog

I recently saw a post a friend had on Instagram with an amazing “life hack”. There were 3 pictures; the first of a mahogany table with a terrible eye sore in the form of a white water stain on the top, the second was of something being rubbed on it –in the background a bottle of Mayo, the thirds and last picture was of a beautiful table water stain free!

The curiosity in me was sparked, and I began to do some research into clever ways we can use ordinary things around the home to fix some of the peskiest everyday problems; I was pleasantly surprised to see exactly how many tricks there are out there! Below are a few of my favorite clever tricks from around the web, enjoy!

Odor

If your sponges are getting an awful smell, don’t toss them out! Soak them in a water, white vinegar or lemon juice, and put in microwave for one minute, the sponges will come out deodorized! (But be sure to not grab them right away, as they will be hot!

Boil orange peels and cloves to get rid of unpleasant smells in the kitchen.

A Sprig of eucalyptus on your shower head will fill the bathroom with fragrance!

Kitchen

Ketchup removes tarnish from copper pans! Just slather the pan with ketchup and leave for about 30 minutes – enough time for the acid to break down the tarnish. Rinse and clean with a soft cloth and you’re done!

Throw a half teaspoon of baking soda to the water if you’re hard boiling eggs. It will make the shell come off in a snap!

Kosher salt and a lemon will clean a wooden chopping board with ease! Rinse with clean water and let dry.

Other Areas of the Home

This is something you might have heard of before; it’s an old trick but an effective and good one. If you have a broken light bulb, just cut a potato in half, and use it to remove the broken bulb.

Walnuts are an inexpensive and quick fix to a ding in wooden furniture. All you have to do is rub the walnut on the damaged area and watch as it begins to darken!

A few drops of vodka and a teaspoon of sugar make cut flowers last longer – try it!

Outdoor

If oxygen is blocked from getting into a bite itching stops, which is why using scotch tape or nail polish will relieve most insect bites!

Hollow out the inside of a cork to make planters for small plants.

Just because you’re done with that old slinky doesn’t mean it’s served its purpose. Turn it into a bird feeder!

Other Clever Uses

Vinegar is one of the most diverse products in the household. If you mix a cup with one quart of water, it is a great way to make your dog’s coat shine. Go ahead, rub some on!

If you’re like me, when you wake up in the morning the first thing you notice are puffy eyes. Well, that won’t be a problem anymore – Toss a pair of metal spoons in the freezer the night before, and when you wake up in the morning apply to your puffy eyes. It really works!

Do you have a sticky iron? Remove the gunk spots by sprinkling salt on a piece of brown paper, then run the hot iron over it, and repeat if necessary!

Who knew all of these items, which we can find in our home at any given time, had such efficient uses that are out of the norm? These are just a few of my favorites, but you can find many more online. One of my favorite websites for these kinds of tips and tricks is http://www.wackyuses.com/ there are literally hundreds of different little known uses for well-known products a click away, check them out!